Taliban in Russia, Afghan humanitarian crisis, U.S. left a mess

By Boyko Nikolov

KABUL, MOSCOW, BM, ($1=81.85 Afghan Afghani) – According to a statement by a Taliban delegation visiting Russia, the Sunni-Muslim rebel group controls 85% of Afghanistan’s territory, learned BulgarianMilitary.com, citing Reuters.

“You and the entire world community have probably recently learned that 85% of the territory of Afghanistan has come under control,” one official said.

The Taliban has taken readiness from Afghanistan not to attack a neighboring country. They also say they will do everything possible to prevent Islamic State from being present in the country and from operating on their territory.

The Taliban are in Moscow to legalize their “power” in the face of the biggest political and military factor in the region, Russia. That is why one of their first statements was that they would not attack the Tajik-Afghan border, which is of serious Russian interest.

The Afghan government rejects claims by the Taliban that they have control of two-thirds of the country’s territory. According to them, this is propaganda used at a time when the United States is withdrawing its troops from its 20-year presence in the country. The withdrawal is expected to be completed by the end of August this year, US President Joe Biden said in several interviews.

The World Health Organization predicts a large-scale humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan in the coming months. Although Kabul will receive drugs, vaccines for Covid-19, and respirators, dozens of medics and medical workers are fleeing places where the Taliban are attacking.

WHO Regional Director for Emergencies Rick Brennan said at least 18.4 million people needed humanitarian assistance, including 3.1 million children at risk of acute malnutrition.

The US decision to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan has received a positive international response, but what it leaves behind is not something to be proud of. The Taliban now control larger territories than in 2001, when the Pentagon sent its first troops.

Pentagon spokesman John F. Kirby said the main mission of “eliminating the terrorists responsible for 9/11 has been accomplished”, but there are currently at least 20 terrorist groups in Afghanistan operating in different parts of the country.

The United States supplied and continues to supply weapons and equipment to the Afghan army, conducting training and exercises. The problem that Washington has not decided to accept anyway, and has stubbornly considered it valid for 20 years, is that there are guerrilla wars in Afghanistan, and the United States has no experience in this type of war, except for Vietnam, which is unsuccessful.

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